


Sweet Dreams

by Dagagada



Category: Burn This - Wilson, Burn This Broadway, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Actor Ben Solo, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Burn This original dialogues, Car Accidents, Crossover, F/M, Fan Rey, HEA, House Swolo - Mistress May I, Mutual Pining, Rey in Burn This, Rey in wonderland, Sex, Swearing, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unrequited Crush, Vaginal Sex, burn this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-14 16:32:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18951832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dagagada/pseuds/Dagagada
Summary: After being hit by a car, Rey ends up in Burn This universe in Anna's shoes. She meets Pale, who looks like Ben Solo, the actor playing him in real life. Will shy Rey be able to act on her attraction for the young actor or will she change the course of the story?WARNING - to preserve the authenticity of the experience I used some of the original dialogues from the play, which are marked with "*". I don't own Burn This.





	Sweet Dreams

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LoveofEscapism](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveofEscapism/gifts), [RebelRebel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelRebel/gifts), [midnightbluefox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightbluefox/gifts).



> Burn This was an amazing experience, both meeting other reylos and Adam himself made a huge impression on me.  
> My Beta @deadlikemoi, whom I met there personally described my story as a memory trip to the play itself. I hope that you will feel the same. Thank you, Amanda, for everything <3
> 
> The House Swolo's 'Mistress May I' gifting project: you girls made a space where some of reylo attending Burn This together met.  
> You started this and for that we Swolos are grateful.

[ ](https://www.fotosik.pl/zdjecie/78d690efb528004f)

 

Rey still couldn’t believe it. She did that, she got the ticket for _Burn This_ from a lottery and had to pay only 40 dollars for it. She was seeing the play again today - 4th time this month, 3rd month in a row. It was pure luck as she hadn’t earned enough finishing her art studies and working part-time in a gallery. Still going to the play became her goal and ritual since its revival on Broadway. 

 

It had to do something with her adoration for young acting star Ben Solo, who played the role of Pale and was already nominated for a Tony Award for it. She had a huge crush on the actor, he was already making it big since he graduated from Juilliard a few years ago. He worked his ass off playing in movies and in the theatre with non-existent private life because he was so focused on his work he didn’t have time and energy to date, which he admitted in one of his interviews. 

 

Rey admired his talent and dedication, also his brilliant wit and the intelligence he showed choosing what part he took and who he worked with. Being a theatre aficionado, she couldn't deny herself the chance to see her idol as much as she could. She spent all her free money on tickets and attended the play as often as she could. So much so that she made friends with the theatre crew already, but was too shy to meet her crush after every show. She lurked at the stage door but couldn’t find the courage to even ask for an autograph. She admired him from afar. 

 

Rey already knew the play by heart, never actually cared where the seat was located and after the show,  she still lived through the experience again and again . She came to the stage door and waved at Tom, the guard, who was on duty that day. He smiled at her and gestured her closer, but she shook her head in silent refusal. She was good where she was. She would see the cast, see HIM and then go home to study for her next exam. 

 

The actors came one by one, smiling at all the people waiting with their playbills to sign and leaving as soon and they could as the weather got worse and the rain started to pour from the sky. Ben Solo was the last one out. He came with his hair a little wet, probably from the quick shower and Rey forgot everything, drinking his tall form in and the smile he offered to every fan that stood in line. She thought that for a second his eyes connected with her and went wide in recognition, but it surely was only her imagination. She hadn't once come to the line and asked him to sign. It wasn’t possible for him to notice her. 

 

After he left, she bid Tom goodbye. Once again assuring him that she was good just watching. He encouraged her to be brave next time because the actors didn’t bite and Ben would appreciate such considerate and loyal fan, but she knew it was not possible with her shyness. She was bold only in her imagination. Real life had proven that she was not that forward or successful.    

 

She was still lost in her thoughts, crossing the street and not paying attention  which was why she failed to notice a big Cadillac SUV pulling from the side of the street with Ben Solo inside  coming her way. She had no time to react when she finally noticed it. The car was not moving very fast, but Ben’s private driver, Tony, chose that moment to turn around and ask his boss if he was hungry.  He never noticed the small figure in front of the car.  The collision wasn’t very hard, but she fell because in her panic she froze and  the momentum was enough to dislodge her center of gravity and knock her unconscious . The car immediately stopped, and the driver jumped out to check what happened. 

 

Ben came out too and recognized the girl right away. She was the one who appeared regularly at the shows and stage door, but never actually interacted with any of them. He noticed her lingering but shy gaze and wondered if she was a fan or simply loved theatre so much. The crew seemed to know her, he never had the courage to ask about her, even if he was curious and intrigued by her, but they shared information with him voluntarily. 

It didn’t hurt that she was his type: lean, athletic build with legs for miles, beautiful chestnut hair that came to her shoulders and expressive eyes that held mystery. He wasn’t afraid that she might be some obsessed fan because if she was she would rather throw herself at him not look from afar. 

 

Now she laid on the street and he was worried if she was seriously hurt.  Tony checked her pulse and said she was unconscious. Ben decided that she must be taken care of immediately and asked him to call the ambulance. The rest of his evening was spent at the hospital worrying about the girl. She had a light concussion, nothing serious, but was still unconscious and the doctors wanted to observe her for the night. He ordered the best care for her, a private room and everything his money could buy, while he sat by her bed, even after they tried to send him home. It appeared she didn’t have any family in the United States and her emergency contact never picked up the phone. She was a British citizen in New York on a student visa. Ben decided to stay at her side, feeling guilty after everything that happened. He also couldn't take his mind off the fact that it was maybe fate and took the opportunity to get to know the mysterious girl. 

 

\---

Rey woke up slowly, finding it weird that she was in  a sitting up in a dimly lit room. She was aware that the room looked slightly familiar. In fact, it looked exactly like the room in _Burn This_. T he surroundings were the same, it was the real loft with the real street outside . The noise of the city and light coming from it were as real as she was. She looked at herself feeling more creeped out with every passing minute. She was wearing the short, black sweater dress she remembered Anna wearing in the play and the same coat. What the hell? She got up. At least she wasn’t holding a cigarette. She was fiercely opposed to smoking. 

 

She went to the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror, finding that despite wearing the same clothes as the play heroine she was still herself. Just as she tried to remember the last thing before she woke up in the weird play-infused dream, the doorbell rang.  _ Just like in the play _ , she thought and went to open the door without asking who was it. She knew who it was if everything she remembered from the play was going to  happen in the same order . It was a strange, very real dream, so she decided to enjoy it as it lasted. Also, she wanted to see how she could change the plot if she made some more reasonable choices than Anna ever did. 

 

Burton came in, trying to kiss her but she moved away from his arms. As much as he was a charmer, she could never see what Anna saw in him. 

 

*“I heard 20 minutes ago.”* He said the exact words as he did in the play but face to face while he was trying to hug her. 

 

“I’m sorry, I can’t do this right now.” She had to play her part somehow. *“I just came back from the funeral and I’m falling on my face. Larry and I spent the best years of our lives at that funeral yesterday. And then I got shanghaied into spending the night with the family.”*

 

She was curious, she knew the play by heart, but what would happen if she changed the lines? This was a dream so she could do anything. Still, trying to remember how she fell asleep proved impossible as the last thing she remembered was watching the play at the Organa Theatre. Then there was nothing, a black hole in her memory that couldn't be filled with anything sensible.  

 

Burton played his part, but she didn’t feel exactly the same emotions Anna did. She was confused and frankly very tired. This surreal dream became even stranger when Larry came in; he looked and acted like his character in the play. She was beginning to freak out. No dream looked or felt this real. She got through the discussion about the funeral and Burton’s adventure, not swaying much from her lines, only keeping her distance from him. He was not her type and she couldn't bring herself to even pretend to be in a relationship with him. 

 

When he left she heard Larry, *“I don't know why you don't just marry him and buy things.”*

 

“I don’t think I love him anymore.” She replied and observed how Larry reacted. 

 

“It’s not about love, darling, haven’t I said that?” He looked at her with a little smile and Rey felt that he could really understand her. “You’ll do what you gotta do. Just don’t forget that he’s making two hundred thousand dollars for a first draft. It’s a strong argument for  marriage.”

 

She laughed at him this time. “I'm beaten. I want to rest. I don’t know if I can tell you about Robbie’s family. *l should have come with you. Not one of my better nights. Not one of my better mornings. I want to forget it all.”*

 

“I bet. What are we going to do about Robbie's mail?” Ever practical Larry asked the same question she remembered from the play. She was waiting for the dream to end, but it kept going so she played along but changed the lines as she saw fit. 

 

*“I guess save it. We have to bring Robbie's things down from the loft. Someone's coming over for them.”* This was the moment Rey managed to realize one major thing. If she was Anna, who would be Pale? She felt hot and cold at the same time. If she managed not to wake up, she could meet him soon enough. She could make different choices because Anna irritated her. Her hesitation, her drama queen act, and feeling sorry for herself were not how Rey herself would react to torn and intense Pale. Rey wanted to think of herself as more sensible and practical, while also being compassionate. 

 

“Larry, I’m tired, I’m going to sleep.” She felt tired. She couldn’t help that she felt drained after the discussion. She wasn’t angry and couldn’t bring herself to pretend at the end of this scene. She was so tired she thought she could fall asleep on the couch. She was wondering if she went to sleep in a dream, would she wake up here or in real life? This felt real, so really real to her and her eyes closed almost by themselves. She dragged herself to the bedroom and her last thought was if she would be able to see Pale or Ben Solo or maybe her own New York bedroom after waking up? 

 

Her question was answered soon enough by a loud pounding on the door. She jerked awake realizing she was still in Anna’s bed in Anna’s apartment. 

 

*“Annie, hey, Annie- Just go fuck yourself, fella. Get laid, do you good. Annie.  Hey. Come on.”* The muffled voice undoubtedly belonged to Ben Solo. She would recognize him even in her sleep. 

 

She got up, put on the short negligee and went to open the door. It was a rare opportunity to be on the receiving end of Pale’s intense, anger-fueled random rant. She was actually excited about this. 

 

*“Goddamn this fuckin' place, how can anybody live this shit city? I'm not doin' it, I'm not drivin' my car this goddamn sewer, every fuckin' time. Who are these assholes?...”* 

 

Rey heard that dialogue so many times already, she thought that she was ready for it. She could recite it from memory but it was a different level when you saw that from the audience and when it’s directed at you specifically. He looked exactly like Ben Solo, dressed in that expensive suit with that 80’s vibe, luscious hair and all she could do was stare at him as he poured his frustration onto the empty space in the loft and on her. 

 

*“...Ho-Jo. Am I right? That shit? There's no talkin' to shit like that.”*

 

She was so engrossed in his performance that she didn’t play her part in asking who he was, so the situation changed and he calmed down a little, clearly expecting some kind of response from her. She shook her head, trying to get back to the reality of the situation. Her, Rey, standing there with the skimpy negligee on, a nightgown that was supposed to be worn by someone shorter than her, the real Anna, with him taking up the whole space just by being himself. 

 

“I’m sorry Jimmy, why are you here?” She guessed she was not a good actress so why pretend she didn’t know who he was. 

 

*“For Robbie’s shit. He lived in this joint? I mean no personal disparagement of the neighborhood in which you have your domicile, honey, but this street's dying of  crotch rot. The only thing save this part of the city, they burn it down. They call that a street out there? You could lose a Toyota some of those potholes. The people run your fuckin' city's got no respect for the property of the people Iivin' here. This is why people act the way they do, this shit. This has made me not as, you know whatever-as I usually am. But I'm trying to parallel-park in the only fuckin' space a twenty-block radius, you don't crawl up my buttholo in your shit-green Trans Am and go beep beep, you know? So'd you get the stuff together?”*

 

“Sure, Mr. I-think-I-can-barge-in-here-and-order-everybody-around.” She could do sarcasm, she could speak his language fluently, “Listen, it's been over a month. You can’t expect everybody to just sit and wait until you get your shit together and decide to grace us with your presence and graciously take Robbie’s things. We’ve got lives of our own that don’t revolve around you.” There, she finally found here emotions that weren’t connected with the play and didn’t correspond with Anna, but were all her own. He regarded her with new found interest. 

 

“Sweetheart, *I said I'd come, I'm here. A man would like to think people are gonna believe him. There's a certain satisfaction in being thought of as a man of your-? There's something wrong with these shoes, my feet are in boiling water.”*

 

Rey watched with her eyebrow arched as he took off his shoes. It was a strange sense of dejavu watching the play going on live in front of her eyes, but with little changes that her participation brought to life. Her own input changed his responses a little, omitting some parts of his speech, but she still found it hard to contain a straight face as she felt a different kind of emotion. She couldn’t hold her excitement in hoping that even though she was not a delicate, grieving dancer she would get a piece of him. She didn't care if it was some sort of weird dream or hallucination, she wanted Pale or Ben Solo, whatever she could get. Actually, the whole surreality of the situation helped her to overcome her shy nature. If she thought it was real she would never find the courage to talk to him like that.  He was muttering to himself as she reflected on her feelings.

 

*“Look at that, oh man, I never had that.”* 

 

“Don’t undress here.” She barked at him. *“Robbie's things are in the basement. No way could you get them tonight without waking up the building. I've already called the Salvation Army, I hadn't been able to reach you.”* She didn't know how Anna felt, but she herself was tired and sleepy. Her command didn’t make any impression on him as he took off his shoes and proceeded with his pants, folding them neatly on the table. 

 

*“So what? What's this huge rush? They're on fire or something? Spontaneous combustion,  something?”* He obviously felt comfortable with his pants off, showing his muscular legs. She wanted to laugh. He was perfect, she could almost say his lines with him, while ogling his huge body. 

 

They progressed through the conversation quickly and even though she changed her lines, he was the same hot and cold, random Pale with the face of Ben Solo she knew. 

 

She felt that when she tried to steer the conversation differently or make him leave, though she wasn’t as dramatic as Anna, he was still too persistent to leave. It was surreal experiencing someone's personality influence you and how, sometimes even if you want to, you can’t escape your own narrative. 

 

“Listen, Pale, I’m sorry I can’t do anything for you right now, you need to go…” Unfortunately,* it was not a good thing to say to him. 

 

*“Well, see, fine, you got these little social phrases and politenesses-all they show me is  this-like-giganticness of unconcern with your 'Im sorrys," man. The fuckin' world is going down the fuckin' toilet on "I'm sorrys." I'm sorry is this roll of toilet paper - they're growing whole forests, for people to wipe their asses on with their "I'm sorrys." Be a tree. For one day. And know that that tree over there is gonna be maybe music paper, the Boss is gonna make forty million writin' some poor-slob-can't-get-work song on. This tree is gonna be ten dollar bills, get passed around, buy things, mean something, hear stories; we got sketch pads and fuckin' "I don't love you anymore" letters pinned to some creep' s pillow-something of import. Headlines, box scores, some great book or movie script-Jack Nicholson's gonna mark you all up, say whatever he wishes to, anyway, out in some fuckin' desert, you're supposed to be his text, he's gonna lay out this line of coke on you- Tree over there is  gonna be in some four-star restaurant, they're gonna call him parchment, bake pompano in him. And you're stuck in the ground, you can't go nowhere, all you know is some fuckin' junkie's gonna wipe his ass and flush you down the East River. Go floating out past the Statue of Liberty all limp and covered with shit, get tangled up in some Saudi Arabian oil tanker's fuckin' propellers-you got maybe three hundred years before you drift down to Brazil somewhere and get a chance to be maybe a coffee bush. I'm sorrys" are fuck, man.”* 

 

She tried to reason with him, that didn’t work and only triggered more funny-angry monologue, that she already knew. So she tried to ease him and gave him a drink. That didn’t work either. 

 

*“Awww, shit. Fuekin' ... drinkin' and thinkin', man, worse than drinkin' and drivin'. Drinkin' and thinkin'. Aw shit.”* He started to cry and she didn’t know what to do.

 

There was no way around it; she wanted to help him or slap him so he would just stop that pain train. She couldn’t relate to his feelings and right at that moment, she was a stranger looking at him and wondering  _ what do you do when you see person hurt like that? _

 

“Pale, stop. It won’t help you. You’re just gonna hurt yourself more.” She wasn’t Anna, she didn’t need to stay in character. 

 

*“What? I don't have feelings? I'm not capable of having a talk here?”* 

 

“Nobody said that. I know that losing a meaningful person is hard.” 

 

‘He was my brother, little girl. We may not talk much but he was family.” 

 

“I can’t imagine how it is to lose a brother. I never had one or a family.” She couldn't pretend anymore. 

 

“Whatcha sayin’? No family? That sucks. I have too much family.” He stopped sobbing and looked at her, finally noticing her blank expression. 

 

“I know about your family, I was there, but can’t really feel that. I know you’re grieving here, but all this drama won’t help you feel better. Jimmy, sit down and I’ll get you another drink.” She was sober and practical, but he moved something in her soul despite how detached she felt from the current situation.  

 

*“Jimmy you're callin' me. I like that. Nobody calls me that. Fuckin' place, man. Fuckin' haunted.”*

 

“Yeah, but we have memories at least.” She really didn't think that it would be so difficult. That being a virtual stranger would still make her feel that way. 

 

She brought him the drink and sat down next to him. He made her feel, made her forget that it was a dream, a twisted version of her favorite play. His whole act moved something deep inside her. She was not the same as Anna but with surprise, she found herself attracted to him for other reasons. He was as lonely as her, as desperate to feel something as her. She lived her life through theatre, fearing connections in real life, fearing rejection. That's why she watched Ben Solo from afar, never allowing herself to try to talk to him because maybe she would feel something real. God, she was pathetic and this crazy situation made her realize that. 

 

Pale took the drink and drank it down in one swift motion. Then he looked at her and spoke, 

 

*“You almost got no tits at all, you know?”*

 

There it was. That line was true with her too. She almost laughed at the irony of the situation. That was one thing she had in common with Anna.  

 

*“I know. Thanks.”* Really? Was this all one big joke on her or a setup? No matter what she said it was all going to be like that? She guessed she couldn’t complain anyway, getting this sexy man all hot and bothered for her. Might as well sit down and enjoy the ride. 

 

*“No, that's beautiful. That's very provocative. Guy wants to look, see just how much there is. Tits are very deceptive things. I'd ... rather ... be ... blue . . . thinking of you . . . "* She watched him sing and waited, holding her breath for the continuation because now it was obvious that no matter what she did the outcome of this was going to be the same as in the play, and she found she didn't hate that. 

 

*“Aww, man, I'm so fucked. My gut aches, my balls are hurtin', they're gonna take stitches on my heart; I'm fuckin' grievin' here and you're givin' me a hard-on. Come on, don't go away from me- everybody's fuckin' flyin' South, man . . . like I was the . . . aww shit, man.”* He was still sobbing and that got her heart aching, almost felt compelled to soothe him, to comfort him so she reached and embraced him and he fell into her embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck to cry and cling to her. After a few minutes, he calmed down.

 

*“You talk to me, okay?”* He asked and she nodded, kissing his cheek lightly. 

 

“Are you better now?” 

 

He rose his head from her neck. but still didn’t let her go. 

“I think I’m better but I still need…” 

 

He trailed off, looking intensely in her eyes, and then claimed her mouth with his. The kiss was sweet and passionate and nothing like what she expected from a man like him. She thought that right now was the time the scene ended, but once again she was proven wrong as the light didn’t go out and he still kissed her deeply, picking her up and asking between the kisses. “Your bedroom sweetheart?” and she gestured him in the right direction.  

 

She soon found that he lost his coherency in the face of sharing intimacy and was not much of a talker, but still loud as he worked. He quickly got rid of their clothes, only grunting “Fuckin’ great tits you have, darlin’” and claimed them with his hands and his mouth. 

 

She arched into his touch, feeling free like never before and emptying her head of all doubts as to why and how she ended up in that predicament, living her own fantasy. 

 

He traveled his hands down her body, exploring and cursing at the same time. He had a filthy mouth though Rey found that she rather liked that. He was an enthusiastic lover and let her be enthusiastic with his body as well. She explored him with her mouth and hands, finding that he had a great body built of muscle. 

 

They were both pretty worked up as he already licked her whole and was now pushing his long fingers inside her, stretching her and making her moan  as the pressure continued to build . She touched every part of his body she could reach, watching his big cock hungrily as it already stood proud and ready, and thought about how he would feel inside her. 

 

She was no virgin, but not that experienced either. Her own living situation made her not trust so easily but this, this was another level of experience. He was a man compared to the boys she had sex with before and he knew exactly what he was doing. He extracted his fingers from her, leaving her yearning for more, and replacing them with his hard cock, slowly pushing inside her making them both groan with mind-numbing pleasure. 

 

“Oh, darling, I knew you would be fuckin’ tight and sweet,” was the only comment he threw before he started to move inside her, claiming her lips again and swallowing every one of her moans. She never knew such pleasure existed, meeting his thrusts with equal desperation and raking her nails over his hot skin. She was sure she would leave marks and that was what she wanted, to brand him, to make this night memorable for both of them.   

 

They both groaned, climaxing together and collapsing in a hot mess of tangled limbs, panting heavily and riding the end of their shared pleasure. 

 

“Fuck me, sweetheart…” He managed with that sexy, Jersey accent of his. 

 

Rey grinned and said, “I just did, Jimmy…”   

 

He pulled out of her and gathered her in his arms, planting a kiss on the top of her head. “Let's rest now, we’ll talk later.” That was the last she heard before falling asleep and thinking that she could live Anna’s life if she got to keep him. 

 

\---

Next thing she knew she was waking up, but she was not laying on the loft bed with a hot male at her side. Confused, she tried to get up, but found that she was tightly tucked in a bed in  what appeared to be a hospital room . Next to her sat a familiar looking man with his head tilted back and eyes closed.  

 

“Jimmy?” She asked and he opened his eyes, looking at her with confusion, so she tried again “Pale?” He looked even more distressed and panicked somehow. At that exact moment, a nurse came in, taking in her conscious state. 

 

“I see you woke up,” she commented cheerfully. “Your  fiancé stayed all night with you. It’s so romantic even if it was his car that hit you. The police will still need your statement to clear him of charges. How are you feeling?” 

 

Rey's eyes widened, she didn’t understand a thing the nurse said, besides the fact that she was hit by a car which explained her  current state and the odd dreams too.

 

“I’m fine. Actually, I would like to talk privately with my  'fiancé' .” Rey was almost sure about who he was, but still needed to confirm and understand the situation. 

 

“Sure, honey, I’ll give you two some privacy and come back later.”

 

When she left, Rey looked at the man next to her bed for an explanation. “ Fiancé ? Who are you?” 

 

“I’m Ben Solo.” He held his hand to her. 

 

She automatically took it and introduced herself. “I’m Rey Kenobi. But that doesn’t explain this whole situation. Do I have some kind of amnesia? Did I get engaged to the hottest actor on Broadway and don’t remember that?”

 

Her comment made him blush which she noticed with a pang of satisfaction. She was also surprised with herself; before she had a problem with looking him in the eye and getting close to him, but now she was the one making him uncomfortable. 

 

He avoided her eyes as he tried to explain. “I admit I lied to hospital staff but they wouldn’t let me in here if I said I didn’t know you.”

 

“So let me get this straight, your car hit me and you came here and stayed all night pretending to be my  fiancé ?”

 

“Well if you put it like that it does sound like I’m some kind of creep,” he admitted and she smiled. 

 

“It’s good that you see my side of the story, but what I want to know is why do all this? I mean, I understand you’re probably feeling guilty though I don’t know why as it was your driver that made a mistake. But I’m a nobody and you’re a star. Yes, I know who you are and by the way, why aren’t you on your way to the show? What day is it?” She was getting nervous that he would miss his play because of her. 

 

“No, don’t worry, it's Monday, my free day. And yes, it was a mistake. Tony feels awful about it. I tried to find your relatives, but it seems you’re here alone on a student visa?” At his words she felt panic, how did he find out so much about her? Did he know her sad past as well?  

 

“Also, you’re not a nobody, I saw you at the theatre. You’re a regular guest and you go to the stage door, but never ask for autographs. Are you a theatre fan?” He seemed genuinely curious.  

 

She couldn’t tell him the whole truth and he would soon leave her to her own miserable life anyway, so she could go back to admiring him from afar. 

 

“I am. I study art and want to become a stage designer. But also I love Lanford Wilson’s work and  _ Burn This _ is my favorite.” 

 

“Really? Then why didn't you ever come to talk to us during the stage door? You know how actors like to talk about their work. As to why do this? It’s basic civility. I couldn’t leave a beautiful damsel in distress, especially almost by my own doing.” He smiled a little smirk at her like he felt it was more to her explanation than she let on. 

 

Rey felt herself getting red. She looked at her own hands, not able to meet his eyes. Just as she felt the tension in the room rise, the nurse was back with the doctor who performed the standard checkup. Everything was okay and she was free to go home as long as she would take time to rest for a few days. When they left she looked at Ben again. 

 

“Well, that's it. I’m all right and will talk to the police tomorrow to clear up the situation and your driver. I guess I should thank you for being here, but you can go now. I will go home too.” 

 

He looked her straight in the eye and spoke, “I’ll wait for you outside, but you are completely mistaken if you think I will let you go home by yourself after that accident, especially knowing that you live by yourself.” 

 

She wanted to protest but he cut her off. “I don’t want to hear that. It’s not a problem for me and I won’t be able to sleep if I let you go now.” 

 

She was at a loss for words. He seemed so nice, but when the situation called for it he could be hard and determined. She liked that, it reminded her of Pale again. She guessed this was the place he drew from playing his part. When he left the room, letting her change into her own clothes and she was reliving her dream once again, wondering if it was possible to remember it with such vivid details and feeling it so strongly as if it really happened. 

 

He waited for her as promised and led her to his car where the very ashamed and apologetic driver waited. They rode in silence and Rey felt nervous. This was it. Her adventure was ending. Her amazing _Burn This_ dream and now the real Ben Solo would leave her alone and empty. She would treasure this memory until the end of her life. Well, if she would become a stage designer she could meet him again. She wondered if he would remember her. She was so caught up in her own head that she didn’t notice where they were, only to jerk forward when the car stopped. She looked with wide eyes at the Brooklyn house they parked before. 

 

“Where are we?” She asked. 

 

Ben smirked at her a little. “We’re at my house. You live alone and the doctor said you need rest and care. I will not leave you alone and I will not accept your refusal. If you need anything from your house, Tony can get it for you. Come on, Rey.” He got out of the car and went to her door, opening it for her and extending his hand once again. 

 

To say she was in shock was an understatement. Here she was, preparing to part with him and try to live her life when once again she was met with the surprise of the century. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be at his house or in his care, but she felt like a liar. She needed to tell him the whole truth. If he found out later he might feel betrayed so when they entered the beautiful house she stood and held her hand up to stop him. 

 

“Listen, Ben, before you get carried away with the noble act of taking care of me I need to tell you something so you won’t feel like I tricked you into this.” He looked at her wide-eyed. 

 

“Did you come at my car deliberately? Are you a journalist in disguise writing an article about my private life?” He asked half seriously, making her eyes roll. 

 

“God no, but I am a fan of yours. I came week after week to your play mostly because you’re in it. Almost all the theatre crew knows me and knows that. I don’t want you to find out in the future and think I snuck into your house on purpose because I’m a lovesick fool.” Oh God, she needed to shut up now. She was so nervous that the word vomit didn’t want to stop. She looked at the floor and felt tears in the corners of her eyes. She completely made a fool of herself in front of him now. She would never be allowed near him or work at the same theatre as him. She made a move to turn around and go when a hand caught her wrist.  

 

“You think that after a confession like that I would let you leave?” He asked in a low voice as he tried to turn her around. She stood stubbornly with tears in her eyes, not willing to show him her emotions. 

 

“I’ve got a confession of my own if we are being that honest. I didn’t stay at the hospital or bring you here out of pure goodness of my heart.” At those words, she spun around, forgetting the tears and watching his wide eyes as he continued. 

 

“I noticed you some time ago, I think after the second time you came to the show. You always came to the stage door and stood watching us with that little dreamy smile on your face. Tom told me you were a fan, but a shy one. He said you’re a sweet girl and that you brought him sweets. I noticed how considerate you always were; you talked to the staff about the stage design and their work in the theatre, but never asked about the actors. They knew you were a fan, but you never used them to get information about me. When you looked at me that day, I felt the connection between us. I don’t do connections with anybody. I’m not comfortable with my fans but it’s different with you. I’ve known you for a short time, but feel like I’ve known you my whole life. This accident, however unfortunate it was, gave me an excuse to get to know you better and I don’t want to let you go just yet. Please stay, let me take care of you, let us get to know each other and see if there is anything more behind the mutual attraction.” How could she refuse him when he proposed to fulfill her dreams? 

 

She looked at him as he brought his hand to her face and wiped her tears away. 

“Say yes,” he whispered. 

 

Rey nodded slowly, not trusting her own voice right  then; bringing her face to his he kissed her lightly on the lips.

 

He led her to his couch in the spacious, modern living room, sat her down and proposed a tea. She was shaken so she agreed and that gave her time to put herself together. 

 

This was it. Just like in the play, they poured their hearts out, but the difference was that they both wanted it, wanted themselves. She didn’t believe that Pale, however attractive he was,  was a good match for Anna. They were both too different, had different lifestyles and beliefs. It wasn’t a good basis to build a relationship on. What connected them was grief and that loss, their own feelings for Robbie transferred on to one another.  

 

Her and Ben, however, were a different story. Just after this talk and after knowing a little bit from his interviews, she was already sure they had more in common than the  _ Burn This _ pair. They both were lonely, afraid of affection but yearning for some, they both loved theatre and Lanford Wilson plays. Both were a little awkward and shy sometimes. This was more than she could ever imagine being a basis they could try to build something on. 

 

She sat there watching him making tea, just like in the play and wondering what the future has in store for them. A common girl and a star. Was it possible? But she was here and that itself was such a miracle so why not hope for more? She wanted to get to know him and maybe see if being intimate with him was as hot as her dream with Pale. She blushed at that train of her thought. 

 

“Penny for your thoughts,” he spoke, bringing the tea and sitting next to her. 

 

“Oh, I had this dream while I was unconscious…” 

 

“Really? Can you tell me?” She blushed even more and he arched his brow at her. She just knew that he would not let this one go. She was also curious to see how he would react and how much of Pale she could discover in him. So, she told him.  

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos highly appreciated.  
> But your words are the best way to make a writer happy.  
> Please share your thoughts. 
> 
> If you want to talk come find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/DagaDagaGada)


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